Knock, knock. Who’s there? Battle rope. Battle rope who? Battle rope who gonna help you light fat on fire, develop a stronger core, and improve every level of athletic performance. Here’s how.
There’s never been a better time to outfit an awesome home gym, and there are fewer pieces of equipment more versatile, functional, and effective than a kickass battle rope.
While a battle rope looks super simple—pick up rope, wave rope, put down rope—there is a TON of different exercises and workouts that you can do with it.
And depending on your workout goals, there is also a lot of different body parts that you can target with them.
Whether you want to burn a heap of calories, build explosiveness, or pack a high-intensity workout in a small window of time, battle ropes are your ticket.
Here’s a detailed look at my favorite battle rope exercises and workout protocols.
Let’s go!
The Basic Bicep Wave
When you imagine someone working out with a battle rope, this is what you are likely picturing in your brain.
Someone who is bent slightly at the knees, back straight, rapidly alternating the rope in half-curls.
The basic wave, as long as your arms and shoulders aren’t moving, and your elbows are relatively stationary, primarily targets the biceps.
- Get into a half-squat position
- Brace your core and keep the back straight
- Minimize elbow movement (keeps the exercise focused on the arms and not the shoulders)
Lateral Whip
This movement takes the Basic Bicep Wave and introduces a shoulder and upper back element to it. Your shoulders will get set on fire doing this exercise, firing up the rear delts as well as most of the muscles surrounding your spine, which is great news for you fellow slouch-sitters out there.
- Get into a half squat position
- Raise your slightly bent arm up to or near horizontal (like a lateral shoulder raise)
- Whip the rope down into the floor and repeat
Jumping power slams
This one is a personal favorite as it combines some power development and a plyometric component that gets your heart rate moving.
It gets extra awesomeness points as it recruits your legs into the movement to give it a truly full-body flavor.
This battle rope exercise is best for athletes (and non-athletes, too!) who want to develop explosiveness and lots of power for their athletic activities.
It’s also one of my top battle rope exercises for abs.
Here’s how to do it:
- Get into a half-squat position
- Raise both ends of the rope to the sky and jump once they’ve cleared your hips
- Land and then slammy-slam the rope down into the ground
Squat to shoulder press
Another full-body variation that is going to gas you quickly is doing a squat to shoulder press combo.
People often have issues doing a proper shoulder press because of limitations in shoulder mobility. The neutral grip on a rope is great for these types. The increasing resistance (you are lifting more rope the taller you go) also adds another twist to this exercise.
- Grab the ends of the rope and position the ends at shoulder height with a neutral grip
- Get into a slightly wider squat stance
- Squat up and extend with the arms and reach for the sky
- Go down into a squat (as low as you prefer) and repeat
Side Plank Wave
For you core-getters out there, who like to plank but find planking boring, and want to add a serious element of difficulty to your training, give the side plank wave a look.
Get into a side plank position so that your chest is facing the anchor of the battle rope. Grab the rope and do a Basic Bicep Wave or a Lateral Whip.
In both cases, your obliques and back will thank you (sort of) tomorrow.
- Prop yourself up in a side plank
- Brace your core like it owes you money
- Grab the rope and do a Wave or Lateral Whip
Battle Rope Exercises and Workouts – FAQs
Do battle ropes burn belly fat?
Battle rope workouts both burn overall body fat and have been proven to work the core area.
Research has found that battle rope workouts with a 1-3 work-to-rest ratio for even as little as ten minutes can significantly increase aerobic capacity1.
Battle rope exercises are also an excellent option for targeting the muscles around the belly, including the obliques, and also on the rear side of your body, including the lower back.
While targeted fat burning isn’t really a thing, increasing lean muscle mass in those areas and firming those muscles up is the next best thing.
Pro tip: If you are specifically targeting your core, use lots of unilateral movements in your workout.
What’s the best way to get in shape with battle ropes?
Battle ropes are a great way to get in shape.
Ultimately, the way you use them is what is going to truly decide how much and what kind of benefit you get from them.
There has been a fair amount of research on the way that they can be used to get in awesome(er) shape.
A study with competitive basketball players found that doing 30-minutes of battle rope training, three times a week, for 8-weeks, significantly improved aerobic capacity, upper-body anaerobic power, and core endurance.
The work to rest ratio with this group was :15 of battle rope waves and then resting for :45, for 30-minutes.
A study with 33 recreationally active men and women did six weeks of battle rope training, HIIT style. This time the protocol was 10x :30 all-out (alternating double and alternating waves), :60 off.
Aerobic performance and skeletal muscle performance both significantly increased within three weeks and continued to progress through the full six weeks of the trial.
And finally, a group of 11 physically active adults2 did a ten-minute session of HIIT battle rope training.
The protocol was bilateral waves, all-out for :15 and resting for :45. Heart rate reached 86% of max, showing that battle ropes can be a great choice for people looking for “vigorous” exercise.
Unlike steady-state cardio activities like running, biking, cycling and even swimming, you can get an excellent cardiovascular workout with battle ropes within a limited amount of time.
What’s better, unilateral or bilateral battle rope exercises?
Great question!
Unilateral waves with battle ropes are best suited for targeting your core as they recruit more muscles in the obliques.
This makes sense when you think about it, as your body needs to compensate for the single-body movement.
Bilateral waves—using both arms at the same time to slam, lift and wave the rope—are more effective at firing up the muscles in your back3.
A balanced approach would include both forms in your battle rope workout.
More Stuff on Battle Ropes
How to Use Battle Ropes at Home. Curious about adding battle ropes to your home gym? Here’s what you need to know about using this awesome piece of workout gear at home.
Benefits of Training with Battle Ropes. Battle ropes are a great way to get a full-body workout. Here are some more reasons to get after your fitness goals with this piece of workout gear.
